Any cut to ambulance services in Machynlleth and Llanidloes will have “tragic consequences”, a Llanbrynmair councillor has said, after telling council members that it took more than a hour for an ambulance to arrive on the scene after her father suffered a fatal heart attack.

At a Powys County Council meeting on Thursday, 15 July, councillors discussed a motion put forward by Plaid Cymru councillors Elwyn Vaughan and Bryn Davies who have called for Llanidloes ambulance station hours to be extended to 24 hours, as well as safeguarding the station at Machynlleth.

As the politicians unveiled their campaign at the start of the month, the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust confirmed they are reviewing their resources throughout Powys.

Cllr Diane Jones-Poston, who represents Llanbrynmair, told members she supported the motion “not only for the residents of the Dyfi Valley but also from a personal position as well”.

“Some members would be aware that my father sadly died last year from a sudden and unexpected heart attack,” she said.

“It took the ambulance over an hour to get to the scene.”

Cllr Jones-Poston said the ambulance was on its way back from Aberystwyth on the A44 road which goes through Llangurig when the emergency call came through.

When the ambulance reached Llanbrynmair, more than an hour had elapsed since the emergency call had been made.

Cllr Jones-Poston said: “We will not know if the outcome could have been different, but it may have been if another ambulance had been in the vicinity at the time or even at one of the stations, of Machynlleth, Newtown or Llanidloes.

“In any emergency, speed of response is absolutely critical, often referred to as the golden hour.

“Any cut to the service will have dire and tragic consequences to response times and to saving lives.”

She said the “support the council could give added weight” to the arguments to retain and improve services “so that no other family has to go through this experience”.

Sonia Thompson from the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “Ambulance rosters in Wales, including in Powys, will be subject to a review so we can be confident we have the right resources in the right place, at the right time.

“We’ll also be engaging directly with Powys County Council members to allay any concerns they have.

“We were very sorry to hear of Cllr Diane Jones-Poston’s bereavement last year, and we will be reaching out directly to her to learn more about her father’s experience.”